It’s easy to give into the slow summer season and just wait for fall to chase your revenue goals again. But if you’re serious about scaling your business, that’s not an option.
And guess what? You can have it all:
- You can scale your business, even during the summer
- AND you can take a break from work to enjoy some well-earned R&R
That might sound like a stretch, but with the right marketing automation software, it’s possible.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the automations that can boost engagement and drive sales this summer, while still giving you time to enjoy a little fun in the sun.
Post-Service Follow-Ups
Before you tackle any seasonal summer follow-ups, make sure your marketing automation software has a solid post-purchase strategy.
This will help nurture current customers and ensure you’re prepared to offer the best possible experience to any new customers you get throughout the summer.
Below are the top three touchpoints you need in place after someone completes a purchase:
- Immediate thank you message: If don’t have one already, you need a follow-up email or text to simply thank customers for choosing your product or service. This isn’t a confirmation email – in fact, it should be a completely separate message.
Make the tone kind and sincere, and consider signing it from the sales rep or owner to make it even more personal (your CRM system can personalize this for you). - Helpful tips: A few days or weeks after a purchase has been made, send out helpful tips that are tailored to what each customer bought.
This will help them get the most out of their purchase and show you care about their experience with your brand – two things that can keep customers coming back for more.
- Check in: Sometimes, the best thing you can do is simply ask a customer how they’re doing. Provide a short survey after a customer has had time to enjoy your product or service, and pay close attention to their feedback.
If it’s good, you can thank them with an exclusive summer discount code and ask for referrals. But if they had a poor experience, your marketing automation software can assign a team member to personally reach out to them.
Summer Rewards Series
This next campaign merges the power of a marketing automation system and social media to give you a boost of engagement this summer.
Here’s how it works: Automate a series of texts to your contacts – start by hinting at an exciting seasonal promotion coming soon to grab their attention. Then, instruct them to follow you on social media for further instructions. Taking this approach will bring in some new followers and ensure your audience knows where to find you on every platform.
Next, use your social media stories or posts to run a summer-themed giveaway series. This “just because” campaign is a nice, unique way to reward your audience and foster loyalty to your brand.
The things you give away don’t have to be related to your business either, but they certainly can be. You could partner with local businesses to provide gift cards, offer a free product or service, or give away theme park and concert tickets for a fun summer activity.
Pro-tip: In order for people to enter your social media giveaway, require them to comment, share, and tag others, which will boost your reach even more.
Mid-Summer Newsletter
People often aren’t intentionally ghosting your business during the summer. Things just get busy, and they forget that you’re around.
This tip is designed to remind them you exist and you’re ready to help whenever they need you.
Automate a summer check-in newsletter campaign. It could be one email or a series of them, but either way, it’s designed to check in with your audience and provide them helpful, relevant information.
Here are a few ideas of what you can include:
- Updated list of your products and services
- Current promotions you’re running
- Seasonal tips
- Links to your website, newsletter signups, text club information, phone numbers, emails, and any other important contact details
Putting your marketing automation software to work in this way gives your audience everything they need to take the next step with your business when they’re ready – whether that’s this summer or not.
Reactivation Campaigns for Past Customers
Summer is a time of relaxation – and for good reason. This means it might take a bit more effort to get your customers’ attention and land some repeat business.
But it can be done, and it boils down to three words: Surprise, summer, savings.
Use automation to launch a “Beat the Heat” check-in campaign. Instead of pushing a sale right away, start with a helpful tip related to your product or service. You can make this seasonal if it applies to what you sell.
For example, HVAC companies can share energy-saving tips to keep homes cooler without overworking the AC. A pet groomer could offer warm-weather care advice, like how to protect pets' paws from hot pavement.
These helpful tips will catch the attention of past customers and remind them you care. Then, after a couple of tips have been sent, you can deliver a surprise – like early access to an upcoming product, a free add-on with their next booking, or an exclusive summer bundle or discount.
Pro-tip: Don’t skip the free value part of this campaign! Providing this warms customers up to your business again and makes them more willing to act when you provide a seasonal offer.
Summer Success Starts With Automation
Summer is the perfect time to lean into automation and let software do the work so you can recharge.
If you’re looking for other ways to optimize your marketing automation software this summer, browse the top things you should automate to make this season one of growth, efficiency, and relaxation.
